


The Ember

by whoopsiegoldberg



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Multi, Riverdale, beronica
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 14:16:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10595721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whoopsiegoldberg/pseuds/whoopsiegoldberg
Summary: After the death of her mother and incarceration of her father, Veronica Lodge moves to her mother's hometown, Riverdale, hoping to find change. Little does she know, she will find more than she bargained for.





	

“Ms. Lodge?” 

We can’t be there yet…

“Ms. Lodge?”

Veronica opens her eyes after waking up from her nap to see Smithers, staring at her through the rearview mirror. She smiles politely as she tries to compose herself. 

“Yes?” 

“Ms. Lodge, we’re almost in Riverdale. You told me to wake you when—“

“Right, of course. Thank you, Smithers.”

Veronica reaches into her handbag and pulls out her compact mirror. It’s square, with a beautiful gold colored metal, and pastel pink and green accents. Before she opens it she admires the name engraved on the top. 

"H. Lodge"

It was a gift from her mother, Hermione, and one of the last Veronica received before Hermione passed away. She’s carried it with her everywhere ever since. 

Veronica checks her makeup, making sure that she didn’t smudge her eyeliner while asleep. She closes the mirror gently and places it back in her bag. 

“Do you think mom would have liked to come back here?”

“I believe so. This was her home. And I’m sure she would have loved to give you a proper tour.” 

“I’m sure she would have too…”

And she wished it were possible. She’d love for her mom to be sitting in the back of their Lincoln Continental, holding her hand and easing Veronica’s worry as they headed out of New York and into Riverdale. But she had to stop thinking that way if she wanted to keep her makeup intact. 

Smithers drives past a sign that reads, “WELCOME TO RIVERDALE: THE TOWN WITH PEP!” 

Veronica rolls her eyes. She is in no mood to be exposed to the pep of this godforsaken town. 

“Welcome to Riverdale, Ms. Lodge.” 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Riverdale reminds Veronica of any other boring small town. She didn’t understand what her mom thought was so special about this place, especially after actually being in it. 

“Are you hungry, Ms. Lodge?” Smithers asks, checking on Veronica through the mirror once again.

“No. I’d like to head straight home, if that’s alright. I have a lot of interior decorating to do.”

Smithers laughs, nodding his head as he focuses on the road ahead of him. Out of nowhere a couple runs in front of the car, causing Smithers to slam on the breaks. The couple both apologize by each lifting a hand in the air and continue to sprint across the street.

“Jesus. What the hell was that?” 

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Lodge. I didn’t see them coming.”

“Don’t be sorry, Smithers. You did the right thing.” 

Veronica watches them as they walk to the back of a line, waiting for something to begin. The entrance is blocked off by a bouncer and velvet rope. Groups of people are excited to get into the building. Veronica looks at the neon sign and reads the name aloud. “The Ember... What do you think that is Smithers, a nightclub?” 

“I believe it is. Would you like me to drop you off?”

Veronica paused for a moment, considering her options. Did she really want to go out tonight? It’s not like she had anyone to accompany her. But this may be the only fun she has in this town. And who knows? Maybe she’ll make a friend. 

“Please.” 

Smithers makes a u-turn and pulls up directly in front of the club. He walks to Veronica's door and opens it for her. As she steps out of the car, she can’t help but catch the attention of everyone waiting in line- including the bouncer at the front. As Veronica makes her way to the back of the line, the bouncer shouts, “Excuse me, miss!” She turns around, pointing to herself as she asks, “Are you talking to me?” 

The bouncer nods, crossing his arms. “Would you mind stepping towards the front of the line, please?” Veronica gives Smithers a thumbs up, letting him know that he can leave. Smithers waves goodbye before heading into the car and driving back to the apartment. Veronica starts to move through the crowd, saying “Excuse me”, “Sorry”. As she does, Veronica can’t help but hear the whispers coming from all directions. 

“Who is she?” 

“Why does she get to cut everybody?” 

“I’ve been waiting for almost an hour!” 

Once Veronica is standing in front of the man, he pulls the rope back, offering Veronica a chance to go inside. 

“Welcome to The Ember.”

It’s not like this is an unusual occurrence for Veronica, things like this happened to her all the time in New York. But in Riverdale? No one even knew who she was, or that’s at least what she hoped. She decides to head in before he changes his mind, ignoring the negative thoughts that popped into her head. 

Veronica walks into the club, surveying her surroundings. There’s hardly any room to move- all of the tables and booths are full of people laughing, eating, or drinking, so she leans against the bar. Couples are dancing the night away in the middle of the floor as the jazz band plays a number. Veronica smiles to herself. It was nice to see some nightlife in this town. 

The bartender looks Veronica up and down, realizing that he’s never seen her before. “What can I get ya, cookie?” 

She turns to see who’s speaking to her and finds a handsome red head pouring whiskey in a glass. There’s something charming about him, but she can’t but her finger on it. Maybe it’s his all-American boy look, or the stupid grin on his face. Either way, she thinks he seems alright. 

“Lemme get a Rum n’ Coke.”

He raises his eyebrows, surprised by her answer. “Rum n’ Coca-Cola… You know, I would have taken you for a ‘Dirty Shirley’ kind of girl,” He jokes, trying his best to keep eye contact as he makes her drink.

“Maybe next time I’ll give it a try,” she says. He points his finger at her as he advises, “Don’t make a promise you can’t keep.” 

“Who says it was a promise?” She quips. 

“Fair enough.” He places the drink in front of her and tends to other customers. Veronica places a $5 on the counter, quickly walking towards an empty table in the back.

Once she is seated, the lights dim. A shadowy figure walks onto the stage, standing behind the microphone. The lights turn back on, and the audience is presented with a stunning, young blonde. Veronica’s mouth practically falls open as she stares at the girl on stage. She wears a light green, satin gown that compliments her eyes, long, white gloves, and a pearl necklace. Veronica touches the pearl necklace wrapped around her neck. The girl gives the crowd an alluring smile and everyone cheers, making Veronica assume that she’s a fan favorite at The Ember. 

“Hello, everyone. How are we doing tonight?” 

Her voice is smooth, making Veronica a bit envious. If her speaking voice was this nice, Veronica couldn’t even imagine her singing voice.

The crowd cheers once again, putting a wide grin on the girl’s face.

“I’m going to sing a favorite of mine. It’s called ‘The Starlit Hour’. Hope you enjoy…”

The girl looks to the back of the room and winks. For a moment, Veronica wonders if the wink was meant for her, causing a chill to race down her spine. She quickly turns around and sees the bartender wink back.

While the band begins to play, the girl on stage sways to the music. She closes her eyes as she focuses on the rhythm of the music. Veronica could feel her palms get sweaty. “It must be the anticipation of the performance,” She thought to herself. She wipes her hands on her knees, hoping no one would notice. And they didn’t, because all eyes were on the girl behind the mic. 

Veronica starts to tear up as she watches the performance, and to her surprise, the girl on stage notices. But instead of reacting she keeps her composure, acting both elegant and nonchalant about the entire thing.

After the song is over, the lights dim once again and the crowd roars in applause and cheer. Everyone stands up, including Veronica. 

As everyone clears out of the club, Veronica decides to head out the back door. She leans against the wall, grabs a cigarette and lights it before putting it in her mouth. Veronica hated that she smoked. Her mother hated it too. But something about it always relaxed her. Before she can close her eyes the back door opens, startling Veronica. She is surprised to see the singer from earlier standing right in front of her, but this time she is wearing a blouse tucked into high-waisted trousers. “Cute but causal”, Veronica thought to herself. Veronica decides to speak before it became awkward.

“Hi there.” 

“Hello,” the blonde says, looking around the alley. 

“Didn't know they made the singers sneak out the back door,” Veronica jokes. Thankfully, the girl laughs. "They don't. I just hate the crowd that waits there for me." Veronica raises her eyebrows as she states, "A performer that hates crowds... never thought I'd hear that before." She lifts the cigarette to her mouth and pauses. “Care for a drag?” The girl shakes her head no. "My manager would flip. He says those would ruin my career before it even started." Veronica takes a drag for herself before she says, “It’s a nasty habit, that's for sure."

The girl seems a bit on edge, so Veronica says, “You were quite wonderful on that stage. I'm sure you hear that all the time." 

The blonde tips her head to the side as she asks, “You enjoyed it?" Veronica nods, making the girl laugh. “That’s funny. Your reaction said otherwise." 

"I'm surprised you could see me with all those lights shining in your direction."

The blonde lifts up her hands in surrender. "I'll admit, it's never easy. But certain people catch my eye from time to time." 

Veronica crosses her arms, making sure to hold her cigarette in her fingers. ”So, what did I look like then?"

The blonde crosses her arms too as she asks, “You want the truth?" Veronica nods, somewhat excited to hear the response. 

“You looked a bit sad to me." 

Veronica laughs before saying, "I wasn't sad- I mean, I was, but I was more than that. I was happy, and nostalgic. I hadn't felt all those emotions at once in a long time." 

The girl smiles at Veronica’s answer. “I don't blame you. I get the same way. The band's pretty spectacular."

Veronica rolls her eyes, shocking the blonde. Veronica takes a step closer as she says, "Oh, don't be so modest. The music was beautiful, but so was your voice. It had so much feeling to it." 

The girl takes a step closer too, making Veronica feel nervous all over again. "You know, a lot of the people that come into the club... the songs I sing go in one ear and out the other. But it's people like you that keep me coming back." 

Veronica decides to relieve the tension by taking her hand and saluting the girl as she says, "I'm glad I could be of service." 

The girl laughs, making Veronica laugh too.

"Thank you." 

Veronica furrows her brows, asking, “For what?"

The girl has her mouth open for a few seconds, trying to come up with the right way to say it. “You're refreshing- and honest. Not many people in this town are either of those things." 

At this point Veronica can't help but look directly into the blonde’s eyes. "Of course. If there's one thing you'll learn about me, it's that I'm as honest as they come." Before they can continue the gaze, the girl turns her head down towards her hands, admiring her diamond bracelets. "I don't think I've seen you around before." 

Veronica takes another drag from her cigarette. “That's because I just moved here." 

This catches the blonde’s attention. "Where from?" She asks. 

Veronica smiles as she proudly says, "New York." 

The girl raises her eyebrows. "A city girl. What do you think of Riverdale so far?" 

“At first I thought it was a complete bore, but after tonight it’s… enticing.” She exhales, letting the smoke escape her lungs effortlessly. “ I'll give you a better answer when I find out more." 

The girl shakes her head as she explains, “This may be a small town, but you may find out more than you'll bargain for." 

Veronica drops the cigarette on the ground, crushing it with her heel as she says, ”Fine with me, I like a challenge." 

“As do I,” The girl states. They smile at each other, unsure of what to say next. Veronica checks her watch and realizes that Smithers is probably worried sick about her.

“I should get going… but it was nice meeting you.”

Before Veronica can leave, the girl says, "I didn't catch your name."

Veronica tries to hide the smile forming on her face, but it’s almost impossible. “Veronica Lodge. And you are?“ 

Right as the blonde is about to speak, a man races down the alley. 

"Betty, there you are! We have to--" 

He becomes slightly embarrassed once he realizes he’s interrupted something. Veronica takes a good look at him and realizes he’s the bartender from earlier.

He scratches the back of his neck as he explains, “My apologies, I didn’t mean to intrude.”

Then he looks at Veronica and smiles.

“Hey. Rum n’ Coke, right?” 

Veronica laughs as she responds, “That’s me.” 

The blonde “I’m guessing you two have already met?”

Veronica nods as she says, “At the bar, yeah.” 

The girl places her hand on the red head’s back, encouraging him to come closer. “Veronica, this is my boyfriend Archie. Archie, Veronica." 

"Pleasure to meet you, Veronica,” He flashes his charmingly stupid grin once again as he extends his hand for Veronica to shake. She does, and she replies, “Likewise.”

Archie turns to the blonde and says, “I’ll be in the car if you need me.”

Archie kisses his girlfriend’s cheek before nodding goodbye at Veronica. 

The girl shouts, “I’ll be behind you in just a minute.”

Archie lifts his hand in the air and gives the girl a thumbs up as he walks down the alley. The girl then extends her hand out towards Veronica, waiting for her to shake it.

“Elizabeth Cooper, but my friends call me Betty.”

Veronica gently grabs the girl’s hand, and as soon as they touch the chill that Veronica felt moments before comes back. She tries her best to shake it off. 

“So, which will it be? Elizabeth or Betty?"

The girl shrugs her shoulders. “Whatever you'd like. Goodbye, Veronica.”

She walks down the alley, leaving Veronica in awe. Veronica says quietly, “Goodbye, Betty.”


End file.
